Novdahain
This article is part of a series on the Realm of Novdahain. Other articles include: * History of Novdahain * The Leddic Domains * Voynasa Provinces * Karelian Marches * Personalities of Novdahain * Organisations of Novdahain * Religion and the Higher Arts in Novdahain The Serene City Novdahain sits on the isthmus that separates Lake Imandra and the Vandalashka Gulf. Commanding the loyalty of hundreds of lords and nobles from surrounding lands, Novdahain rules the region in trade and commerce, sending fleets as far west as Drenden and as far south as Ruhx. Having survived several wars and being overrun by the Orc Armies of the Krontiz Empire, Novdahain's title as 'The Serene City' is a far cry from its history, and an increasingly unlikely future. Capital of the Realm As the capital of the Realm of Novdahain, the city is home to not only the Grand Prince and the High Council, but also the main merchant houses, guilds, and centres of the Faith. The College of Volshebni stands as the only institution without its headquarters in Novdahain itself. Aside from its importance to the Realm as a whole, Novdahain is the main centre for trade in northmost Farthrone, and hosts hundreds of ships and traders each month. Chief among these are the Drenden Company, who have their own offices in the southeast of the city adjacent to Sarbryn. Districts of Novdahain Salkasil Palace Salkasil Palace is a leviathan construction which dominates the skyline of the city. A monumental amalgamation of balconies, chapels, mansions and chambers, Salkasil is not only home to the Grand Prince and his family, but also the entire High Council, visiting dignitaries, and high level officers and generals of the Realm. It is the beating heart of the aristocracy of Novdahain, and its halls and walls are witnesses to countless schemes and plots. Finished in 2DE, Salkasil was originally intended as a grand monument to the vitality of the Realm, but by the end of its 40 year construction it had bloated and morphed into a symbol of decadence; its gold-topped dome a beacon of wealth and disparity at a time when the Realm was under threat from Baarskin invaders and the armies of Xhahon-Dor. Some nobles, although they originally backed the expansion of the city and the palace's construction, now wistfully look to the old decrepit palace, Dalovis Hall, which served as the seat of the Grand Prince for the previous two centuries. Sarbryn and the Merchant Houses Neighboring Salkasil to its south is Sarbryn. Originally constructed as the new council chambers for the High Council, the Faith and the Merchant Houses, it is now home only to the last, as the other have flocked to the new palace. This is no great loss, as the boom in trading and shipbuilding have made every room in Sarbryn a prize commodity. Indeed, to hold office in Sarbryn is a sign of good, healthy and fair business, although many of the merchants within deal in smuggling and illicit goods on the side. The Merchant Council in Sarbryn has grown powerful since the renovation of its ships and the expansion of its trade to Etan, and many Lords of Coppers, anointed for their contributions to the Throne, now sit in its ranks. Pahlen Square Pahlen Square is the main market in the city, bustling with wares straight from the docks. Generally upmarket, Pahlen nonetheless caters to the basics; fruit, vegetables and meat can be bought here, as can weapons, lesser spellcasting and other services. At the centre of Pahlen Square stands the Ervo Family Bank, which manages loans and debts for dozens of merchants and traders. Voronto Quarter The Voronto Quarter is the section of Novdahain primarily occupied by the Nobility. Originally constructed as part of the expansion of the city walls in 705LN, the Voronto quarter is the only area in the city to use a grid layout. Alternating between tight-fit houses for the lesser nobility and fabulous mansions of the richer families, the Voronto Quarter might as well be all of Novdahain for some of its inhabitants. Voronto Market Voronto Market is mainly a market for luxury goods. Flowers, perfumes, clothes and masterwork furniture dominate the stalls, which are swept away on festival days for stages, theatres and dance-floors. At night, Voronto Market is home to roving bands of merrymaking nobles, and has been the site of many famous duels and trysts, both in history, and in the countless songs, plays and ballads that cascade forth from the mouth of overpaid bards and art-loving second-sons. Sirvo Quarter Sirvo Quarter is the home of the middling merchants, lesser nobility, and artisan craftsmen and women of Novdahain. Within spitting distance of both Pahlen Square and Voronto Quarter, Sirvo Quarter is height of ambition for the guildsmen and traders not of noble birth. Although as packed in space as many other sections of the city, those from Sirvo Quarter generally regard themselves as of a different class, closer to the upper echelons of society physically and in spirit. Tarnov Keep Tarnov Keep squats in the middle of the city like a guard dog, surveying the main entrances to Pahlen square and to the richer quarters. Functioning as a combination of armory, barracks, dungeon and law-court, Tarnov Keep strikes fear into the heart of petty criminals throughout the city, its dark, underground dungeons the doom of many miscreants. Although the generals and officers of the Realm's standing army are almost all ennobled, the true ruler of Tarnov Keep is rarely so. The High Custodian is chosen from the ranks of the city watch, ostensibly for their merit in protecting the citizens of the city. In reality, the fact that the High Custodian is usually from the lower classes has made the position prone to bribery and corruption, as poorer men are more easily bought. Kartoli Quarter Not quite Sirvo, not quite North Town and nowhere near as poor as Garin, Kartoli Quarter is home to those who earn a decent living, and eat meat at least twice a week. It also has a reputation as the quarter with the best inns and taverns, and nightlife in the Kartoli Quarter has become a melting pot of rich, poor, and passing through. Lebiona Hospital Lebiona Hospital is one of the major centres for healing in the city, catering to the sick and injured who can afford it. Staffed by a mixture of mundane and divine healers, Lebiona has thankfully never had to deal with wartime wounded since the sacking of the city in 663LN. Garin Garin is the warren of shacks, houses and tenements that makes up Novdahain's poorest quarter. Hemmed in under the New Wall, and surrounding the Moranin Cathedral, Garin is home to the gangs, thieves, and robbers that make up Novdahain's criminal underbelly. Even within this poorest neighborhood there are hierarchies, and generally those of Upper Garin are more respected and feared, especially if they have attachments to the Purple House, the sprawling pseudo-mansion of Daraptin Vilz, a self-styled criminal overlord who runs the Purple House as a gambling hall and headquarters. The Narrow The Narrow is the area between the walls of Novdahain and the older settlement of Tosno. Often filled with fairs, circuses and traders that cannot afford entrance into the larger markets, the Narrow is a place of levity in summer, and a muddy wasteland in winter when the cold wind howls between the walls. Tosno - North Town The embryo that would one day become Novdahain proper, Tosno is the oldest section of the city. Although rumours and folklore persist that Tosno was itself built on ruins, any remains of these have been buried in the centuries since. In recent times, Tosno has become dilapidated, never fully recovering from the sacking of the city by the armies of Krontiz in 664LN. Its walls crumble and shacks and other wooden structures spring up around them like lichen. Within, the ancient wooden houses that survived the sacking still stand, home to the merchants and nobles of the Leddic Domains, who still use the north dock to trade and travel, despite its state of disrepair. Looming over Tosno is the Old Palace, Dalovis Hall, which stands in ruins. Vorma District Despite its age and the character of its inhabitants, Tosno is host to the largest district of foreigners in the city; Vorma District. Originally the dwellings of servants of the Old Palace, Vorma District is now home to many newcomers to the Realm. From catfolk to dragonborn, Ruhxans to Drenders, Vorma district is a vibrant, if relatively poor area. While most would expect the old peoples of Tosno to resent these newcomers, the two groups mingle very well, perhaps finding common ground in their peripheral position in the city, huddled behind collapsed walls. White House of Belikrov For more on this, see here. Constructed on a hill outside the city in 4 DE following the Siege of Sudniv, the White House of Belikrov is the headquarters of the Exarch's cult following, and occasionally the home of the Exarch herself. Traveling out from the White House are the Waxen Priests, who administer the Waxen Gift to the sick, dying or faithful, promising them rewards in the afterlife for the use of their body beyond death. The pale corpses are then carted back to the White House, where they are cared for by Belikrov's followers, and reanimated when needed to serve them. Although the White House stands as a testament to the popularity of Belikrov after the Siege of Sudniv, in more recent times it has taken on a ghoulish reputation, especially as people have lost faith in the years of the Silence. Prince's Gardens Constructed in 10DE, the King's Gardens are a massive park outside the city, reserved for the Grand Prince and the upper nobility. Hastily groomed after the passing of the spring snows, the gardens are home to the grandest banquets and festivals in summer, and admission is often highly prized among the nobles of Novdahain. Durnovo and Orbeli Graveyards Sitting on opposite ends of the city, the Durnovo and Orbeli graveyards cater to opposite ends of the social spectrum. The former is the resting place of many of the poor in the city, although many now accept the Waxen Gift and grant their bodies to Belikrov. Generally overcrowded with haphazard gravestones or open pits, Durnovo is ill-maintained but still administered by clerics of the Faith. Orbeli, on the other hand, is an expensive, walled graveyard for the well-to-do in the city, containing dozens of grand mausoleums and tombs for the noble families of Novdahain. When it was constructed in 703LN, many of these families had their relatives exhumed to be moved to the new graveyard, much to the chagrin of the clerics of the Faith, who advised against such ostentatious desecrations. Volonksi Estate Standing proud near the Old Palace of Tosno, the Volonski Estate is the grandest noble dwelling in the city. With its own walls, gardens, stables and servants quarters, it is testament to the power and influence of the Volonski family, who trace their lineage back to the founding of the city. Leddic by origin but hardly by nature, the Volonski family is a sprawling tree of different interests and enterprises. Ruled by their current patriarch, Alexei Volonski, the Volosnki family have continued their age-old tradition of involving themselves in every affair in Novdahain. Category:Location Category:Farthrone Category:Human Category:Settlement Category:Novdahain